Drachma's Story
by ShutupTommy
Summary: My version of Drachma's life. Has nice happy ending :D! plz R.A.R
1. Prologue: Disrespect

Disclaimer: Drachma and Jack are property of er... the people who did Skies of Arcadia etcetera, etcetera...  
  
Hello! Well, one day I was thinking (he he, for once) and I realised that  
poor ol' Drachma has sorta been forgotten! So I thought, hey, why not  
write something about him... so I did (well duh) and this is basically about... well you'll recognise the story. Please, please read and review!  
And Warning! This is quite depressing.  
  
********************************  
  
Drachma's Story  
  
"Marty..." a young, muscular man cried "Please, you've got to be strong."  
  
"Dratchy... I'm sorry, forgive me. It hurts... I don't want to live the rest of my life like this..." answered a young woman lying in the ill-bed. The man kneeling beside her was squeezing her hands. Both were in tears.  
  
"I-I understand. Marty I love you and I always will." Drachma sobbed.  
  
"I know Dratchy!" she cried looking around the small wooden room "Where's my little baby?" Drachma slowly walked towards a small wooden cradle and took a baby in his arms.  
  
"Here he is..." he said, passing the baby to her.  
  
"Oh my baby." she sobbed "You be a good boy and look after your daddy for me." The baby seemed to understand every word as he gave the woman a gentle smile. The mother gently kissed the baby's head and whispered "Oh my little baby, my little Jack...." she sobbed squeezing her eyes shut, holding the baby close to her. Drachma took the baby from her and returned him to his cradle just as he heard her whisper "Dratchy..."  
  
"What is it?!?" he demanded, swivelling round on his heals.  
  
"Eh.... everything's fuzzy...."she cried. The Shock struck him like a dart. He tried to stay calm; he knew that it was his turn to be strong.  
  
He knelt beside her, took her hands and whispered "Hush, everything will be all right....." he began to gently stroke her golden hair.  
  
"Yes, It will. You must promise to take good care of our little Jack..."  
  
"What else would I do?" they both broke into violent sobs again. Drachma leant over Marty and gently kissed her forehead. Marty was then gone. The little baby, began to scream and Drachma, his face in his hands, slid down his supporting wall and cried silently.  
********* Drachma sighed. Fifteen years had passed since then and he still thought about it all the time. He strode boldly onto the deck of his ship the king fisher to congratulate his crew for a good day's work. Drachma was in a very good business with fishing and wouldn't have been without his crew of five, Lucas, Darren, Bowler and his son Jack. His son, sixteen, loved to collect feathers. He had feathers of all kinds, colours, shapes, all contained in one small wooden box. Because he was the youngest aboard, the crew named him "little Jack".  
  
"Well done men. We did well today! We should celebrate our big catch tonight!" exclaimed Drachma, the captain of the small wooden ship.  
  
"Aye Aye Capn'!" the men cheered, all from different posts on the ship. "An' well done son, you did well too! A fine fisherman become you!" he chuckled winking at Jack. "And er, one other thing....." He reached for his behind pocket of his jacket and retrieved a beautiful, long, red and gold feather "I found it ages ago but thought that now would be a good time to give it to you son..."  
  
Jack took the feather and with his face beaming his beautiful smile, he threw his arms around his father's huge body "Thank you father, it's wonderful."  
  
Drachma looked around himself nervously and whispered "Son... please don't go all soppy onboard...." but he wasn't listening and had already pulled away staring with a look of amazement on his face. Drachma was happy that Jack was pleased with his gift. To him it was just some lousy feather, but Jack had always loved to look at and admire them. He held a fascination with feathers.  
  
Drachma raised his eyebrows "Ey Bowler, remember what I told you to do earlier....." Drachma murmured quietly, grabbing hold of his passing crew-mate.  
  
"Aye capn'!" he saluted, running towards the nets, ascending to the sails. The young sailor heaved himself up the netting and slid across to the end of the unsteady mast.  
  
"Ey Little Jack!" he yelled, his hands cupping his mouth. "Come and give us a hand!" Jack was leaning against the railing of the ship's deck turning his new feather around with his fingers, admiring it from every angle. When hearing this he leapt up, caught a little by suprise and burst out-  
  
"Father can I! I am old enough now! I'll be careful! I won't fall off!"  
  
"Yes of course!" he chuckled. Jack hadn't expected his father's response to be so certain and final. He blinked.  
  
"R-really? You'll let me?"  
  
"Heh heh! Just go!" he nudged Jack towards the mast. Jack's smile lit up the entire deck. The deck was getting unusually dark; the crew supposed that it must have been North Ocean's bad day.  
  
"Can you look after my box for me?" he said handing him a small wooden box, the box where his feathers were kept. Drachma took the box with a kind smile as his son poked his feather behind his ear and began to ascend the mast's netting. All the time he was thinking "Wow! He's finally trusting me to do this!"  
  
Drachma watched as his son helped out with the sails. It was a difficult task and he was proud that his son had co-operated along with the rest of the crew so well.  
  
"He's my one and only son. He's all I have left....." He sighed. He knew that he had always been too overprotective before. But he cared about him too much to take any risks... he couldn't lose someone like that again.  
  
Almost suddenly, an amazingly thick mist rolled in, covering everyone with blindness.  
  
"Ey what's going on!" Bowler's voice could be heard, which was closely followed by a gobsmacked Lucas "What the....."  
  
"Father, what-!" Jack cried.  
  
"Now don't you worry wee Jack. I'm in the same situation as you! We'll be fine...!" Bowler reminded Jack that he was also high up at the mast.  
  
"Is everyone all right!?!" Drachma roared, "Jack, Bowler, just stay were you are!" his face retreated to a questioning look as he cried out in an outraged voice " Just what in all of Arcadia......." Then loud footsteps and panting could be heard.  
  
"Capn'! You all right?!"  
  
"Yes we'll be OK"  
  
"Suggestions that we might stop the engines?" It was now clear that the voice belonged to Darren. "And drop anchor if I may say so!" Darren burst into laughter.  
  
Drachma ignored Darren's attempt to be funny, as he had gotton used to his stupid behaviour. But apart from his stupid behaviour, he was an excellent navigator.  
  
Suddenly, a gust of wind attacked the little ship clearing the mist and uncovering the men clinging onto the ship for dear life.  
  
"Jack, Bowler! Get down now!" roared Drachma above the howling wind. The two threw themselves off the masts and immediately grabbed hold of the deck's wooden railing. When the wind had calmed down slightly a huge purple wall appeared right beside the small ship. Everything went amazingly quiet.  
"What the......"  
Strange patterns were covering the foreign surface, long lines and circles in different purples.  
"The....the patterns are moving!" cried Jack.  
"They're not patterns... that purple thing is alive!!!" Lucas shrieked. The patterns again moved but more quickly and obviously, and when a gigantic eye drifted past the deck, Darren stumbled backwards, almost knocking Drachma overboard.  
"Ahhhh!" Darren shrieked. He was very pale and looked as if he were about to faint  
"We're being attacked by a monster!" Bowler's cries could be heard. Drachma studied the humungas creature for several moments and suddenly raised his eyebrow in excitement.  
"That be no monster... It's an Archwhale! And a damn big one at that!" exclaimed the wise captain.  
"Wow...." the crew were awed.  
"Well what are you'll waitin' for!" the crew jumped "This one's gonna make us allot of gold!" Drachma ordered, slapping his fist into his palm.  
There was a chorus of "Aye capn'"s and the crew immediately got to their posts. Drachma was in the bridge at the wheel to maintain control of the ship's wheel incase a huge gust of wind were to heave at the ship - he was probably the largest and strongest. Bowler and Jack were attempting to retie the remainders of the sails, and Lucas and Darren were readying the cannons.  
After a couple of minutes Darren plodded to the bridge.  
"Capn' the cannons are at the ready!"  
"Well done! Are the sails up?!" Drachma sounded a much more serious and important tone to his voice.  
"Aye Capn'!"  
"Good! Then fire at will!"  
  
"Aye!" Darren waddled out to the deck towards the readied cannons "The capn' gave orders to fire away!" Bowler was looking very uncomfortable and was fidgeting with his scarf.  
  
"Good," Lucas grinned a twisted smile, "we'll just have to show this monster that we are the most successful fishermen that ever lived!"  
  
"Hold your fire!" Bowler interrupted him. Lucas held the flaming stick still in the air, holding an expression of a very nasty "yes?"  
  
"This could be somethin' rare! Maybe we should leave i' alone! Or maybe we could put i' ter sleep and......"  
  
"Stop dreamin' bowl-head just do as the capn' says!" Lucas bellowed "Besides, it's about time we started to use these rusty cannons again!"  
  
"Stop fighting and just do as I said!" Darren was red in the face, really rather scared of Lucas getting angry.  
  
The wind's power was increasing dramatically, making it difficult to fire the cannons, but The Kingfisher's cannons remained, plummeting down the purple monster with cannon's fire. After a while-  
  
"Why isn't this baby responding!" Lucas cried, throwing his hands up.  
  
"Look I told you! The monster dosn' want ter fight, it wants ter be left alone!" Bowler protested.  
  
"Like we're gonna do tha'!" Lucas continued at firing the cannons, the rest of the crew followed him... until... the large monster was responding! It suddenly swerved towards the little ship, crashing a devastating noise upon them, breaking up the side of the ship. The ship lost it's control. Drachma's swearing could be heard from inside the bridge.  
  
"See I told you tha' we should have left her alone!" Bowler roared "Now see what'll happn'!" Lucas turned his head and gave Bowler the ugliest look he had ever seen. Their eye contact was lost when the huge monster again swerved towards the ship, this time ripping away a greater amount of The Kingfisher's side.  
  
"Noooo!" Drachma screamed as he saw great limbs of the ship, blowing away in the wind, as if they were crusted leaves on an autumn day. He stared amazed out of the glass window, wandering what he should do. The ship was again completely knocked off course. It was no good, Drachma couldn't regain control of the ship. He would have get the crew inside the bridge and wait in hope for this nightmare to leave them. But no, he would have to try, just once more...  
  
"Come on Kingfisher! Come on baby" he muttered under his breath, although not actually hearing himself above the whipping wind and the continuous screaming of the wooden limbs of the ship. "Come on we can do it!" but just then a huge force pulled him off his feet. But the force hadn't just pulled him over, it had also beheaded the wheel from the steering mechanism.  
  
"Oh holy shit!" Drachma swore loudly, thinking this was just a bad dream, but inside he knew that it wasn't.  
His crew! He must go and help his crew! He ran across the unstable room and viciously swung the door open. From there he could see the terrified faces of the three members of his crew. The three!!!  
  
He couldn't speak. It seemed that none of them could. It was as if their voices had been taken away by the wind. The only remaining crew was him, Jack, Bowler and Darren. It appeared that Lucas had been knocked over-board, or maybe blown off. In fact that had allot of supporting evidence as the wind was ferocious. The ship was rocking back and forth and then another huge crash came from the front-hand mast giving way, the result of the archwale's attack.  
  
Darren was clutching for dear life to the wooden railing which rimmed the edge of the deck, the part of the deck that gave way, still holding him. Darren's fearful face disappeared into the darkness of the clouds belonging to deep sky. That was the last they'd ever see of him.  
  
Drachma began to lose hope. But he had to keep some! He was the captain of the ship, he was responsible for his crew and he would try his hardest to keep them alive.  
  
The entire ship was a mere skeleton by now and the wooden boards of the deck held a huge crack dividing Drachma from the terrified Jack and Bowler. The boards were splitting. The ship was breaking up. In fact, it was amazing that The Kingfisher hadn't lost so much altitude already.  
  
Jack and Bowler were perched on the opposite side of the deck to Drachma, on the opposite side of where the boards were breaking up. The young captain didn't have much time. The deck had all most formed itself into some sort of hinge, a hinge that would at any moment swing open and lead his son to his death.  
  
Drachma used the first idea that had come to his head, he would have to keep the opposite side of the deck, or more like half the ship, from snapping like a twig. He seized one of the hooks on the wooden wall, hanging beside his harpoon equipment, and ripped a spare rope which had luckily been misplaced. His hands shaking, he tied the rope to the hook and with all his might, threw the hook towards the railing of the screeching side of the deck. A almost faraway clunk of metal on wood, signified that it had held itself somewhere. He immediately ran into the bridge and swung the other end of the rope around the sliding pole leading to the lower parts of the ship.  
  
The wind had now added rain, plummeting upon them without mercy.  
With his hands shielding his face, the brave captain ran back onto the deck. Bowler and Jack remained silent, petrified of moving.  
  
"It's going to be all right, you're not going to fall!" he bellowed above the screaming wind, taking another rope and hook. They were all drenched from the horrific, pelting rain.  
  
The huge Archwhale appeared to be drifting away from the devastated ship, probably satisfied now. But it appeared to be crying. It's depressing calls echoed, and became quieter, and quieter.  
  
The ship gave another huge jolt as Jack's side of the ship began to break away slowly. Sinking further away, the wooden boards snapped once again, leaving a huger crack separating the captain from his remaining crew. This resulted in the newly tied rope to suddenly pull itself straight and tight, obviously the only remaining life-source for the shape of small ship.  
  
Then all of a sudden, Drachma heard another huge whine of his ship, but it was coming from behind him. He swivelled around on the spot and looked around quickly for the cause of the noise. And his eyes found it. The pole from which the other end of the rope was secured to, was moving. Huge cracks surrounded the head of the pole and where getting worse and worse It wasn't long before the pole gave up and completely pulled over, bowing to allow the rope to come free.  
  
And it was as if someone had pulled a plug in his hearing. He jumped for the end of the rope but missed, crashing to the creaked wooden boards. Bowler gave Drachma an honourable look and then closed his eyes and clenched his teeth; he knew what was coming to him. All the while, Jack was sobbing, clutching his new beautiful, red, feather. He held it close to him and squeezed his eyes shut. It was his only comfort left.  
  
The opposite side of the ship began to jump . Then, finally, completely gave way pulling down the two with a few final screeching snaps of the remaining deck.  
  
This would be a part of his life that he would never forget. Jack screaming, squeezing his feather in his hand as if it would let him fly away. But it didn't. He fell down, down into the dark, deep sky, where he would remain forever...  
  
"NOOOO!!!" Drachma's hearing had suddenly returned to him. The floor all around him was snapping, cracking. The whole deck was dangerously giving away. He threw himself up and ran to the bridge.  
  
From the inside of the bridge, he could see cracks veining throughout the walls, spreading quickly like mice fleeing from a hole. He heard a loud creak and looked directly above his head to find the ceiling collapsing he attempted to run towards a small table to take cover, but failed, toppling over a large chunk of already fallen ceiling. Another huge creak and he felt a thunderous pain, roaring through the right-hand side of his body. The screaming room around him faded, faded, and was gone.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Chapter 2 coming soon! (well that's if I don't die on a ship that has been attacked by a monster) I'm really unhappy with this fic, but I was in a weird mood when I wrote this so um... he he I can just say that I'm like Picasso and my fic is meant to be written all demented! Any way... Good day/ good night/ good afternoon/ good evening/ good morning! and omg!.. When I read this to my friends, only one of them understood what happened! I hope you did! 


	2. Chapter 2: A new friend, a new enemy

Disclaimer: er... Drachma and co. are property of the guys who made Skies of Arcadia (o.@) but Marlen was made by me :)  
  
Like... OMG! I'm sooo glad somebody actually read my loada b******t and actually reviewed it! Wow thanx a million ^.^! but (again) like... OMG! I know... I didn't exactly pull up a cliff-hanger or anything .!  
Hawaaw!  
Welcome to,  
chapter two,  
I hope its cool,  
so have a ball!  
  
he he!  
  
*******************************  
Chapter two  
  
Drachma grunted. He felt a roaring pain in his arm and one of his eyes. He opened his eyes, but he could only see out of one of them.  
  
"Wha... what happened to me?" he whispered to himself, sitting up, his hand on his head. "Where am I?"  
  
Drachma was lying alone in a bed invaded with pink and blue cushions. The bed was surrounded with a light, see-through net. He focused on looking past the net and saw that he was in a small white room with shapes such as triangles painted on the walls. He figured that he was now in a Nasrean room. It sure looks like a Nasrean room, he thought to himself.  
  
He looked in front of him. There was a small high window, almost beside a tall drooping plant which stood in one corner of the room. He looked to the left and saw a small doorway. Instead of a door, another light curtain was delicately held above the walk-through doorway. He looked to the right and to his horror, instead of seeing his arm, he saw a huge chunk of metal. He moved his ^ arm ^ and it amazingly responded.  
  
"I'm goin' to have a-lump-o-metal-of-an-arm for the rest of my life!?!" he moaned to himself. "Well... better than nothin' I s'pose. Jack would have loved to see..." All of a sudden, his memory returned to him. The huge Archwhale attacking the ship. His crew, dying one by one. The ship breaking up. His son falling...  
  
Drachma broke into tears. It was all his fault. If he hadn't challenged the Archwhale, he would still be alive... so would his crew, and his ship. What am I goin' to do!  
  
"I havn' got anythin'. I havn' got anythin' left... not even a picture..." He cried, not caring on who heard him. He held his head in his hands as if he had an eternal head-ache. But he did have a head-ache, a head-ache that would never leave him.  
  
As all the details were still flooding back to him, something important came streaming into his head. The box! Jack's box! I still have it! He gave it to me! It's in my... he looked to his right again and this time, saw a small, low table. It was amazingly pretty. It had been carved out of wood and had all sorts of little shapes. The table was in fact designed in the shape of a Dhabu. So I must be in Nasr... he thought to himself. On the table lay his neatly folded clothes. He ripped back the netting around the bed.  
  
He seized his clothes immediately and shook them up until Jack's box did in fact fall out onto the soft bed. A huge smile slowly crept across his features. He opened the box gently and gazed at all of the beautiful feathers for a long while. He picked the feathers one by one out of the box, occasionally whispering something like ahh, he found this one when he was seven years old or he used to love this one... there is one that looks just like it somewhere. After studying them for a while, he lay all of the delicate feathers back into the box and closed it the lid gently, now looking at something past the box.  
  
He clenched his fists, his knuckles going white. None of this was my fault he said to himself, forcing himself to believe it If that damned Archwhale wasn't there in the first place, none of this would have happened. I'm goin' to track him... I'm goin' to track him down, and when in do... it will suffer...I'm goin' to get my revenge! Drachma was now breathing deep and angrily.  
  
Just then, a slightly plump woman bustled into the room carrying a little silver tray supporting several cups. That woman is God damn Beautiful... he thought to himself. She was wearing a belly-dancer type outfit. It was all pink. Her baggy trousers tucked in just above her ankles and at the top, another see-through material, quite like a shawl delicately suspended from gold clips that were dotted across the rim. Her top that basically resembled a bra, was also pink. As expected for a Nasrean woman, she wore another see-through cloth over her mouth and her dark hair was held in a high pony-tail and still trailed down upon her bare, middle-back.  
  
"I knew you would have woken up by now. I expected the pain-killer to wear off hours ago..." the young woman said in her strong Nasrean accent. She had stopped next to the bed to speak to him, so continued walking towards the small, pretty Dhabu table.  
  
She giggled "You look like a Dhabu just given birth, you look awful. Well, I suppose the pain-killer has worn off then..." she continued towards the table and stopped again to give a disgusted look at the now creased up clothes spread across the bed. She lay the small tray onto the Dhabu table and sat on the bed next to him. She turned to face the tray and started fussing with the small jugs and Drachma spotted some purple leaves with yellow spots.  
  
What the hell is she goin' to do with them?!? thought Drachma, gulping.  
  
"Er..." Drachma started but was cut short as the woman butted in.  
  
"You may have guessed, you are in Nasr, land of the red moon. Well, Maramba to be precise. Me and my brother were sailing through North Ocean to reach Ixa-taka, and we saw your ship and found you..." she paused. " I'm sorry to tell you this but... you were the only person we found on board. You originally had a crew, am I right?" she asked, turning her head with a serious look on her face.  
  
"... Yes, I know. They were thrown overboard... I saw it happen..." he didn't dare mention the part about challenging the Archwhale.  
  
"I'm sorry... if there was something I could do..."  
  
"It's all right." Drachma looked down "There's nothin' nobody can do..."  
  
There was an uncomfortable pause and Drachma continued "I suppose my ship didn't make it either..."  
  
The woman slowly shook her head. Drachma could just about catch her whispering "sorry..."  
  
There was another pause and the woman, obviously very upset, decided to change the subject.  
  
"My name is Marlen," she was smiling brightly "and, you are?"  
  
"Drachma. I was a fisherman... in quite good business too before..." Marlen could see where the conversation was leading and so quickly added,  
  
"-I work with my brother and father, my father is a merchant. They aren't here at the moment though. They left me in charge of the house," more clinking came from the little silver pots and cups "We are beginning a good trade with Ixa-t..." she gave a worried look but managed to wipe it off and found her bright smile again. She stood up and continued to do things with the tray on the Dhabu table.  
  
Drachma looked down his body and saw that he was dressed in what he would call a huge shirt for a baby giant.  
  
"Er... who dressed me in this?" he asked pointing to the strange dress he was wearing.  
  
"Oh, it was me." she said, now mushing the leaves up.  
  
Drachma felt his face burn.  
  
"Oh, I have brothers..." she said, waving it away with her hand.  
  
"Now, you should drink this. It'll soothe the pain." she said, plonking onto the bed beside him and passing him a cup. Drachma excepted the little cup and drank it slowly. When he was just about to say something the woman butted in.  
  
"Just thought you would want to know that we have heard of green moonstones..." she said, now taking the empty cup from Drachma's hands and placing it back onto the tray. "We did actually use some but your case was very serious and..." her expression was thoughtful "Well... can I be honest with you. Please don't be mad with me..."  
  
"Er... course. Go ahead..." he didn't really want to disagree with her.  
  
"Well..." she looked uncomfortable, she took a deep breath and lowered her voice, a frightened look on her face. "Nasr and Valua are going into war... at least, that's what my father told me... and I believe it too... why else would all the Maramban merchants be hiding their goods in the passages that run below the town... my father and brother are rather worried actually... they don't think they'll ever find them again... those passages are like a bloody labyrinth."  
  
Drahcma gave her a puzzled expression. What did this have to do with green moonstones? But she continued.  
  
"Of course, the war hasn't started yet, but it will... that's why you must leave Nasr tomorrow. The Valuans are unaware that we are very ready for them. Our spys found out that they will be leaving Valua tonight."  
  
"How will I leave Nasr Marlen? I haven't got anything... no ship, money, nothing..." Marlen gave a kind smile.  
  
"Ah, my family is very rich. I've already told you, my father is a successful merchant... we would be happy to lend you a ship... and some gold. I suppose he would see you as a fellow merchant."  
  
"Your father would be willing to help me. Because I'm a fisherman?"  
  
"Well yes... but mainly because... no offence, but... you are not from Nasr, and many Nasreans would want foreigners out of their country... so that the real Nasreans wouldn't run out of resources... my father doesn't exactly want to get on the wrong side of anyone... I hope you understand..."  
  
"Yes I do... It's perfectly understandable... I mean, what country would want to run out of Loqua?" said Drachma. Marlen giggled.  
  
"You'll be leaving Nasr too won't you?" Drachma was curious. Marlen looked hurt, not by what he had said, but from the truth.  
  
"No. I must stay in Nasr."  
  
"But it's dangerous! You can't be left in the open like a sitting duck!"  
  
"No, no! I have to stay. I need to take care of the injured soldiers. You see... this is the point that I'm trying to get at! The reason that I didn't use a green moonstone on you was to practice for the war... If Nasr ran out of green moonstones, we wouldn't know what to heal people with... We might even run out of moonstones for fuel, leading us to using the green moonstones for energy, instead of using them for healing... Not everyone in Nasr can do green magic. I can personally, but not many woman can. That's why I studied herbs and medicines and created a medicine of well known herbs and ingredients that I know Nasr contains allot of! I used this medicine on you and it worked, it makes me happy! Not just for the war, but for you... because you're all right!" Marlen eyes began flooding with tears.  
  
Drachma did what he thought was natural, he wrapped his arms around her and Marlen pulled herself closer to him.  
  
"Oh! I don't know what to feel! I'm dreading staying here in Nasr, but I'm also happy that my medicine worked!" she sobbed.  
  
They were still in each other's arms and Drachma had to cheer her up. "Er..." he started "Hey! If I'd know it was this easy to get this close to a Maramban woman, I would have come here yonks ago!"  
  
Marlen giggled.  
  
Well, that cheered her up  
  
They both pulled away and Marlen whiped the remaining tears from her tear- streaked face. "My father will be wondering where I am..." she stood up and with the tray in her arms, walked out of the room, leaving Drachma with allot of thought. But she just said that her father wasn't here. He looked to his right and saw that Marlen had left him a cup of some milky liquid and something that looked like flat bread.  
  
He stood up and walked around the room. He noticed a mirror hidden in the dark corner of the room. He watched his reflection and saw a man with a big metal arm and an eye-patch. He sighed. So much had happened in such a short time.  
  
He plopped back onto the bed and slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
*********  
  
"Daddy!" the three year old cried, running towards him.  
  
"Jack. What've you gart there?" he said.  
  
"A feza" Jack beamed.  
  
Drachma chuckled.  
  
"Oh it's a feezaar is it!" Drachma was only teasing him.  
  
"Daddy! It's not funny!" Jack laughed.  
  
"It's a fea-th-er. Can you say that?"  
  
"Feva!" Jack cried.  
  
Drachma chuckled again "That's my boy!" he said scruffing up Jack's hair.  
  
"I love you daddy."  
  
"I love you too son."  
  
Drachma put his arms around the little child and Jack followed. But now, Jack wasn't three years old, he was exactly as he had been the last time Drachma saw him. He spoke, this time with his lower, teenage voice.  
  
"It's all right father."  
  
*********  
  
Drachma woke up. He heard a rumble of talking and people running around outside. He leapt out of bed and ran to the small window. The window only gave him access to sight on a large pathway leading beside the building he was in and an opposite one. There he saw people running around, carrying large amounts in baskets, wooden boxes, in their arms. Most people were forcing a terrified Dhabu along with them. Cries echoed through the streets. The town was in a panic. Something important must be happening.  
  
Just then, Marlen burst into the room.  
  
"Drachma! It's the Valuans! They're here!"  
  
*********  
  
Chapter 3 coming soon. (well in fact, probably very soon as it's the hols and I have a lot of time) I prefer this chapter waaaay more than the first one. The first one is boring. Well, hope you enjoyed. Plz review. 


	3. Chapter 3: Sorrowful departure

Disclaimer: bla-bla, de blaaaaaaaa blaaaaaaaa!  
  
Hello all my little SoA'ians! I was originally gonna make Drachma's story 2 chapters, (you can tell I really, really didn't exactly plan it out much) but it's no where near finished and I might even have to end it with 4 chapters (puh. I havn't planned it very well have I?)  
  
Welcome be  
to chapter three  
o.o;  
you're supposed to shout "boy"  
and say it with joy! o.@;;...  
  
...awww forget it  
  
*********  
Chapter 3  
  
Marlen ran into the room with a Nasrean basket and crammed Drachma's things into it.  
  
"You must leave now!" she ordered him, now shoving the basket into his chest. "There is a small boat at the docks. It's bage with a orange curl, you can't miss it. It's not much but..." she combed her hair with her hand, lowering her eyes. She looked up at him again "I have put some food, fuel and supplies inside. I hid the gold in the small pot near the room with the bed in it. It will be enough to get you back on your feet... take the boat and go quickly."  
  
"Marlen, you're coming with me!" said Drachma, grabbing her wrist.  
  
"No no! I can't! I have to stay here and help the injured. It's my duty... it's my country..."  
  
"Marlen..."  
  
"No Drachma! I want to come but I can't... and there is a part of me that wants to stay here anyway. Please, just go!"  
  
"How will I repay you?"  
  
"You don't have to Drachma, just go! Please!" Drachma spotted tears in the corners of her eyes.  
  
Drachma sighed. He took her hands.  
  
"Marlen, you are the bravest woman I've ever met. You want to stay for your country... I respect that..." Drachma spoke softly. Marlen smiled.  
  
"Thankyou for everything that you've done for me..." He held his hands to her cheeks and kissed her forehead. He then hurried out of the door where he paused and said "One day I will repay you."  
  
"Maybe we'll meet again?"  
  
"We will marlen." Drachma hurried out of the little town towards the docks where he saw the little boat that had been left for him.  
  
Marlen lay still in the little room. "May the Red Moon light your path Drachma..."  
  
*********  
  
All those many years ago, had been the birth of his poisoned life. He held his son's box of feathers high in the air, over the deck of the Delphinius.  
  
Four figures stood behind him, three of whom meant so much to him, although he didn't show it.  
  
One, a tall young captain. His name was Vyse, although he had always adressed him as "boy". He had scruffy brown hair and a handsome face. He wore a glass eye-patch across one eye, and under the other, sat a scar. He wore blue and a baggy, brown belt.  
  
The secound figure, belonged to a young woman, with flaming re-hair, held in gravity defying pigtails. She usually wore a loud face but was now holding a serious expression. She wore a yellow dress with a big, blue belt. This girl was Aika, the one who always saw past his bad-tempered face.  
  
The third, was Fina. The only remaining Silvite alive. She had a sweet, child-like face which held two, notcable green eyes. She wore a long white dress with strange patterns of gold. Hovering just beside her blonde head was Cupil, a morphable silver creature.  
  
There was a fourth figure, Enrique. Drachma didn't know much about him, except that he was the Prince of Valua and Drachma thought a damn sensible Prince too as he had run away from Valua to fight against the evil and greed of his mother, alongside the Blue Rogues. He had sky-blue eyes and curtained blonde hair. He wore Silver armor across his chest and shoulders, and a small hat rested on his head.  
  
Drachma's eyes remained fixed on the small box. So much had happened since that day he woke up in Maramba. The war between Valua and Nasr had long stopped. He bought a new ship and called it The Little Jack. He found the Archwhale, he named Rhaknam but had been distracted by Vyse and Aika's sailboat. He'd rescued them, been persuaded by them to go to Valua. He went to Valua, bought himself a Harpoon Cannon which he had hoped to use on Rhaknam. He was then dragged off into the catacombs running beneath Valua and helped defeat the executioner, to save Vyse and Aika's friends and family. He then met Fina who together with Vyse and Aika, persuaded him to go and search the world for the moon crystals. He agreed, thinking that he would eventually find Rhaknam by doing this. Drachma sighed. He went to Maramba, abandoned the three there, scared of finding out the fate of his friend, Marlen. He decided to come back and rescue them after seeing them standing under a huge red monster, which turned out to be a Gigas. He defeated one of valua's admirals, Belleza, and saved the world from the Red Gigas. Then, he was dragged off to Ixa-taka, where he ventured through the lost city of Rixis, defeated another Valuan admiral, De Loco, and also defeated the green Gigas who was called upon by the betraying king of Ixa- taka. He then went back to North Ocean where he defeated Gordo, who afterwards decided to open a Bistro. He went to Valua. Saw the mist. Hid in a cavern. Found Rhaknam and that Ramirez was himself, trying to dispose of the Archwhale. He shot at Rhaknam. The Little Jack had taken serious damage, so he put Vyse, Aika and Fina on his only lifeboats. The Archwhale dragged him away from Ramirez, who was plummeting cannon balls upon him. He ended up in the Lands of Ice. Discovered that Rhaknam was dying. Realised that he had been wrong. He thought he was dreaming when he saw Vyse, Aika and Fina at the bottom of Glacia. Fina told him about the purple Gigas... realised Rhaknam was the purple Gigas... why he had been wondering the skies ever since the rains of distruction... that it was his fault that Rhaknam has destroyed the ship. He decided to pay his last respects to Rhaknam by staying with him...  
  
He just wished that he could tell them that the adventures he experienced with them, were at the best time of his life. Drachma's memorys stabbed him, but he could not cry. He had no tears left. This was the only way left for him to let it all go.  
  
He gently opened the lid and all the beautiful coloured feathers fluttered into the wind. There was a beautiful display of featers of all kinds. He held the box until all the feathers had gone, and gently flopped the lid back on.  
  
He lowered his arm and slowly turned to the four teenagers behind him. "I...I won't be travelling with you any more kids..." said Drachma softly. Aika looked as though she was about to burst into tears. Fina gave Drachma an understanding look.  
  
"I dedicated my life to avenging my son... and my crew... I wasted my life. I've got to start over. It's not easy to do that at my age..."  
  
Aika turned to Vyse "Vyse.. are we going to let the Capn' do this... we've already lost him once, I don't think I can do that again..."  
  
There was a pause and Vyse finally said "Aika, we should let him go. He's got to sort this out... I can't imagine what he's going through right now..."  
  
"Thank you boy..."  
  
Aika became very upset with this. Vyse had noticed so he slid his arm around her waist. Aika accepted the act of comfort and did the same. Fina just gave Drachma an admiring look.  
  
But after another uncomfortable pause Vyse's face brightened up.  
  
"Capn'... you know when you said that when Rhaknam dragged you and The Little Jack all the way here... and you stayed here all alone with Rhaknam..?" Vyse asked, beaming.  
  
Drachma nodded.  
  
"Well you weren't alone..." Drachma was puzzled, so Vyse continued "Capn', we were with you all along. As long as we're in the same sky, we'll always be together... we're still sailing the same sky, breathing the same air..."  
  
Drachma smiled. Vyse had always been so positive and optimystic about everything, he was always able to cheer people up. He chuckled at the memory of when Vyse had managed to cheer Aika up after she had lost a Looper carrying four moonberrys after performing Omega Phsyclone. Vyse was a great man and he was expecting great things from him. He didn't at all doubt that this young group would one day save the world from the Valuans.  
  
"Thank you kids..." Aika then went up to Drachma and put her arms around him "I'll miss you Capn'" she said softly. Drachma placed his huge hand on Aika's back when Fina also ran up to Drachma and threw her arms around him. Aika turned her head to Vyse.  
  
"Come on Vyse." she grinned "The Capn' loves you too!" she said in a teasing, soppy voice.  
  
"Heh heh! Why you little..." he walked up to the rest. "Group hug!" said Vyse mimicking Aika's voice, squeezing everyone that was under his arm's grasp. Fina giggled.  
  
"Oh come on Enrique! Surely you have still got some team spirit?" called Vyse. Enrique walked towards the mass of bodies and Aika's strong arm pulled him onto the heap. Drachma chuckled.  
  
"I'd be careful if I were you Aika..." said Vyse. "Don't really want you to get into a fight with Moegi ya know 'cos bruises don't suit princesses." Enrique went scarlet.  
  
"Ha! You cheek!" Aika slapped Vyse on the back of his head.  
  
"Hey! Why you little..." Vyse and Aika began a game of poking and slapping each other across the head, and when Aika pulled back Vyse's goggle and slapped it back... "Ha! Now you are going to pay..."  
  
Drachma laughed. Vyse and Aika had always been so amusing together.  
  
They all finally let go of each other and Drachma made his way to The Little Jack.  
  
When Drachma was on the deck of his own ship, he was still facing the four youths on the Delphinius's deck.  
  
"Goodbye..." said Drachma as his ship slowly accelerated, leading away from his young friends.  
  
Fina waved in her usual shy way and her face began to flood with tears. Vyse looked at Drachma and inclined his head. Drachma did the same back. Aika began waving her arms violently.  
  
"We'll never forget you! Make sure you come and visit us on Crescent Isle!" cried Aika.  
  
The Delphinius slowly grew smaller and smaller and finally, he saw the four walk inside their ship. He did the same.  
  
He plodded to the deck and took the old-fashioned wheel in one hand. He stood there and thought for a long time, until the sky was tinted red. After, he worked out that he still needed to think things through more thorougly, and he wanted to settle down somewhere quiet. I could go and spend the rest of my time fishing, like before... that would be nice... he thought to himself. But before any of this, he wanted to do something else...  
  
"There's just one more thing I want to do..." he whispered more to The Little Jack than to himself.  
  
And so, The Little Jack sailed into the Red Sky.  
  
*********  
  
Coming soon,Chapter 4 (well actually, I can't decide whether I should call it the 4th chapter, the last chapter, or the epilogue... I guess it's sorta all of 'em :D! oooooh! Well I tried to do a cliffhanger OK?!? (well, heh heh, it put me on the edge of my seat and I'm the b****y author!! ha ha!) 


	4. Chapter 4: Out of bad things... come goo...

Disclaimer: All the stuff from SoA, belongs to the people who made SoA :D *well *duh**  
  
Wow! This is such a happy ending! But, what will Drachma do? cos...What would u do, if ur son was at home, cryin' all alone on... aww soz! Got a bit carried away, heh heh! You'll just have to wait and see... oh crap! I've gotta do the old traditional poem that I always have at the beginnings! Well... here we go.  
  
Welcome some more,  
to chapter four  
it's nearly over  
(but just in case)  
you should look for a four-leaved clover!  
  
aeye aeye aeye *shakes head*  
:D  
  
*********  
  
The Little Jack pulled up at Maramba's docks and the old captain stepped out. He walked up to the main gates of the town and sighed. He was scared. Did Marlen survive the war? There was a part of him that didn't want to find out.  
  
He heaved open the gates and walked into the quiet area. He looked around and spotted the house where Marlen lives, or at least, used to live.  
  
He banged on the door. A young girl's face appeared from the gap of the door. It looked like Marlen, but he knew it wasn't her.  
  
"Is Marlen here?" he spoke softly.  
  
The girl paused, probably thinking about something, but then she spoke. "What do you want with my Grandmother?"  
  
Grandmother he thought to himself. He smiled. Marlen must have had a happy life.  
  
"I'm an old friend... Is Marlen here?"  
  
The girl lowered her eyes. "I don't know where she is... My father won't tell me." she looked upset.  
  
"Can I speak with your father?"  
  
The girl lowered her eyes again. "My father is in the city of Nasr."  
  
"Are you alone? Is anyone with you?" the girl nodded.  
  
"Yes, I'm alone. My father is in Nasrad. I have to stay and keep the house." she seemed to shudder at what she had just said. "Would you like to come in?"  
  
Drachma was led into a little colourfully decorated room. There was a big pot with steam trailing out of it, sitting in the middle of the room, surrounded by cushions of different colours. The girl plopped onto the cushions, so Drachma did the same. She started to do things with the steaming pot.  
  
"What is your name?" the small girl asked.  
  
"Forgive me... my name is Drachma."  
  
"Drachma!" the girl raised her eyebrows. "My Grandmother told me all about you. How she and great uncle simnus found you in a sinking ship..."  
  
"She did?" Drachma had a smile in his face.  
  
"Can I tell you a secret?" she spoke softly. Drachma noticed how she clutched a shawl around her.  
  
"My...my father beats us."  
  
"He what! He beats you! And your Mother and Grandmother?"  
  
"Yes. He is very bad-tempered." she let go of the shawl and Drachma could see how she was covered in bruises and wounds. "But at least he can't beat mother any longer... because she's dead."  
  
Drachma could feel the anger rise in him. How dare a man beat an old woman, Marlen in fact. How dare somebody beat Marlen's daughters.  
  
"Please. Can you help us. You're big and strong and you can stop him."  
  
"I will." Drachma leapt to his feet. "I am going to Nasrad. I bet you he has your Grandmother there." Drachma stopped. He went pale. "Oh holy shit!"  
  
"What's the matter?!?" the girl looked worried.  
  
"Nasrad has been attacked by the Valuans! I completely forgot!"  
  
"Then... then grandmother is dead?"  
  
"No... no she's not dead. Your grandma is a very strong woman, she would have made it." Drachma ran to the door and stopped.  
  
"What is your name girl?"  
  
"Andra."  
  
"I'll come back Andra."  
  
*********  
  
Finally, the city came into view. But it wasn't how it was meant to look. The city was ruined. Huge cracks ran through walls which rmained standing, dust was still in the atmosphere, the usual cheerful people were down to few and all were sad.  
  
Drachma ran out of the docks, into the city. All the collapsed buildings. The flooding water fountains. The few people helping the starving familys. This was why he hated the Valuans. This was why everyone hated the Valuans. He ran through the streets that were passable but he couldn't find her. He dropped to the floor. What was he going to say to Andra. He couldn't give up looking.  
  
But then, he heard a moaning. An old woman in rags came into view, dragging her feet. She colapsed and Drachma ran towards her. He lifted her in his arms and carried her out of the suffocating dust, surrounding the ruins. He lay her on the floor and instantly recognised her face.  
  
"Marlen?" Drachma heaved her up again and made for the docks.  
  
*********  
  
Drachma had returned back to Maramba, to Andra's little house. Andra was preparing some food when Marlen opened her eyes.  
  
"Marlen. It's Ok. You're in Maramba. Andra's here." whispered Drachma.  
  
"Drachma? Andra?" she smiled. You're both here... Drachma, it's been a while."  
  
"Grandmother?" Andra took Marlen's hand. "What happened to Father?"  
  
Marlen looked into her Grandaughter's eyes and whispered "He's gone Andra. Nasrad's disater took him. It's all over now..." they both smiled. "Now let's see how strong my two favourite people are." Marlen sat up and put her arms around Andra and started to whisper into her ear. Drachma couldn't hear what she was saying. Then she put her arms around Drachma and he did the same. She whispered into his ear, "Drachma, you told me that one day you would repay me... well now you have. If you hadn't found me, I would have died. If you hadn't brougt me back, Andra would have lived the rest of her life worrying about me, worrying when her father would back." she squeezed him tighter "It's good to see you again old friend."  
  
"Grandmother what will happen now? Father's gone. We have no money."  
  
Drachma took both their hands. "I'll be with you. You'll be OK." Drachma smiled "I'm going to go into fishing..." Drachma was cut short by Andra.  
  
"And you can come and live with us! You can be the man of the house that we never had!"  
  
"It would be an honour to live with you two!" They spent a short time talking excitedly.  
  
"Andra?"  
  
"Yes Grandmother?"  
  
"How old are you now?"  
  
"Fifteen."  
  
"Awww, three years won't make a difference. Go and get that lovely bottle of Loqua in the larder." Andra smiled and skipped out of the room.  
  
And so, Drachma, Marlen and Andra celebrated together. They talked for hours and got to know each other inside out and upside down.  
  
The war of the world took place. Drachma helped with the huge ship battel with The Little Jack. Of course the Valuans lost and his young friends defeated Galcian and Ramirez. That was one of the happiest days of his life.  
  
He spent the remainder of his life as a fisherman. Andra got married to a kind and handsome merchant. Marlen passed away in peace. Drachma couldn't have been happier the day he left this life of adventures. He finally joined Marty, his wife, his son Jack, Marlen and her daughter, and he was even happier to now join Rhaknam.  
  
*********  
  
Nooo! It's the last chapter! No I have to think of something else to do for the rest of the hols. Hey! I'll write another story *oh no! Warning!* heh heh! hope you enjoyed! Please review! :D 


End file.
